Protective apparatus for propellers



Dec. 26, 1944. J. o. ANToNsoN PROTECTIVE APPARATUS FOR PROPELLERS Filed Sept. 22, 1942 lll" un ZT/FEEL ./I-/hn 52775555727 Patented Dec. 26, 1944 PROTECTIVE APPARATUS FOR PROPELLEBS John 0. Antonson, Akron, Ohio, assigner to The B. F. Goodrich Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application September 22, 1942, Serial No. 459,331

17- Claims.

This invention relates to protective apparatus for rotating structures, such, for example, as airplane propellers, and especially to the feeding of anti-icing liquid on variable pitch propellers.

Objects of the invention are to provide effectively for the delivery of ui-d to the structure, to provide for receiving iiuid while minimizing loss of ud by splashing, to provide effectively for feeding fluid onto the surface of the structure, and to provide for convenience of manufacture and assembly.

A further object is to provide for accommodating pitch adjustment of the propeller blade throughout a wide range while minimizing loss of the liquid by splashing throughout such range.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description.

In the accompanying drawing, which forms a part of this specification, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a variable pitch propeller having liquid feeding means constructed in accordance with and embodying the invention, parts being broken away,

Fig. 2 is a fragmentaryA view of the propeller from the rear of a blade,

Fig. 3 is a section taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a section taken along line 4-4 Fig. 3, Y

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the fluid-feeding structure before mounting, parts being broken away and in section,

Fig'. 6 is a front elevation of the structure of Fig. 5, and

Fig. 'I is a section on an enlarged scale taken along 1-1 of Fig. 5.

Under some operating conditions airplane propellers are subject'to objectionable accumulation of ice upon their blades which causes loss of propulsive emciency and may cause structural failure. My invention provides protective apparatus, such` as is shown in Fig. 1, for preventing such accumulation of ice, especially upon a, propeller I0 having variable pitch blades Il. Provision is made for accommodating a wide range of pitch adjustment while feeding the anti-icing fluid to the blade without objectionable loss of the uid from splashing.

For mounting the propeller I0, a splined driving shaft I3 engages with and is secured to a hub assembly I2a and I2b as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the shaft I3 extending outwardly from an Voi end casing I4 of an aircraft engine. While a propeller of the tractor type is illustrated, the invention is applicable also to propellers of the pusher type.

The hub assembly comprises front and rear portions I2a and I2b, respectively, bolted together by fasteners I5, and the blades II extending through spaced-apart apertures in the hub are secured adjustably therein at their root portions I6. 'I'he pitch adjustment of the respective blades II is regulated by a suitable adjusting mechanism I1 operated through a shaft I8 by an electrical, a hydraulic, or other suitable power unit in a housing I 9 attached to the front portion I2a of the hub. A pipe 20 positioned adjacent theend casing I4 by supporting brackets 2| and 22 interconnects a source of supply of anti-icing iiuid with a slinger ring 23 secured to the hub assembly I2a and I2b.

For feeding the fluid onto the propeller blades II in accordance with the objects of the invention, a fluid-feeding structure or channel element 24 having a slot 25 is mounted upon each blade II in the ragion of the blade-root I6 in a manner such that the slot 25 is facing toward the axis of the propeller III to provide for receiving a fluid-delivery nozzle 26 which is in communi cation with and secured to the slinger ring 23 and may permissibly be of metal or other stili material rigidly mounted on the hub structure.

Preferably, the fluid-feeding structure 24'is an integral unit made of resilient, rubber or other rubber-like material with a reinforcement 21a, such as Woven fabric, molded and vulcanized, although leather, oil impregnated fabric or other suitable flexible ymaterial non-rubber-like in nature may in some cases be used.

For receiving the iiuid a pocketed elongated hollow element 2l having the slot 25 is disposed diagonally upon a base element 28 rectangular in shape, as shown especially in Figs. 5, 6, and '7. It is desirable that an interior wal1 portion 29 opposite the slot 25 of the hollow element 21 extend longitudinally at an angle eiiective to facilitate flow of the iluid due to centrifugal force toward outlet apertures 3I at one end 32 of the pocketed element 2l when the element 28 is mounted on the root I 6 of the blade I I transversely across the same.

An upper margin 33 of the slot 25 has a portion 34 generally parallel with an edge 30 of the base element 28 and adapted to receive the nozzle 26 over a wide range of pitch adjustment of the blade II. A portion 35 of the margin 33 is in continuation with the portion 34 and need not be parallel to the edge 30. For ease of manufacture, the slot 25 extends throughout the portions 34 and 35, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. but may only extend along the portion 36 sufficient to permit the bending and closing action at 33a of the margin 83 of the pocketed element 21, when the structure 24 is mounted upon the blade Il. The margin 33 is tapered in section to provide desirable flexibility for facilitating bending 33a around the fluid-delivery nozzle 28 and clos.- ing the slot 25, when the structure 24 is posi-v tioned upon the blade-root |6, as shown in Fig. 4, thereby preventing loss of fluid by splashing throughout a wide range of pitch adjustment of the blade.

When the fluid-feeding structure 24 is in the flattened condition as molded, the margin 33 of the slot 25 extends between ends 32 and 32a of the hollow element 21 and is generally -parallel with the surface 23a of the base element 28, as shown especially in Figs. 5, 6 and '1. However, when the structure 24 is bent around the bladeroot I6 in the manner shown in Fig. 4, the fIexible margin 33 bends downwardly at 33a around the nozzle 26 and contacts the surface 28a of the base element 28, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 7. substantially closing the slot 25. Any openings in the slot, such as 25a, 25h, and 26a, resulting at the ends 32 and 32a and the nozzle 26 are sufficiently small so that objectionable loss of fluid by splashing does not occur.'

In the illustrative embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. l, a shoe structure 36 having grooves 31 for conducting anti-icing fluid onto the blade II Vis disposed at the leading edge of the blade for distributing the fluid over the surface of the blade. The fluid-feeding structure 24 is secured to the root I6 as by a suitable adhesive, such as rubber cement, and is positioned in a manner such that the outlet apertures 3| are at the leading edge and superimposed upon the shoe 36, as shown in Fig. 3.

'I'he base element 28 at the end 32 has a recessed portion 38 in the face adjacent the bladeroot I6 adapted to flt snugly upon and receive the lower end of the shoe 36, and has an accumulator trough 39 in communication with the apertures 3| for feeding fluid to the grooves 31 of the shoe. These grooves 31 conduct the uid along the leading edge and distribute it over the surface at the blade.

In the operation of the arrangement shown in Fig. l, for example during flight under iceforming conditions, anti-icing fluid from a source of supply located conveniently in the aircraft is conducted by the pipe to the slinger ring 23 which is rotating with the propeller I8. Under the influence of centrifugal force the fluid is confined within the ring and flows through spacedapart fluid-delivery nozzles 26 into the respective feeding structures-24 mounted on the blades II. The resilient margin 33 of the slot 25 in the pocketed member 21 bends at 33a around the nozzle 26 and is in substantially closing relation with the other margin, as shown especially in Fig. 4. In this manner the loss of fluid by splashing during flow of the latter into the feeding structure 24 is prevented effectively throughout the range of pitch adjustment of the blades I I. Due to centrifugal force the flow of uid through the elongated hollow member 21 is along the wall 29 toward the outlet apertures 3|, since successive points along the wall 29 are at increased radii from the axis of the propeller I0. After flowing through the apertures 3|' into the from the scope of the invention as it is defined in the following claims.

I claim:

l. Means for conducting anti-icing fluid onto a propeller blade, said means comprising a pocketedfeeding element adapted to be mounted upon the blade, said element having an opening therein for receiving a fluid-delivery nozzle and said element being adjustable with respect to the nozzle,

and means substantially closing said opening.

against loss of fluid by splashing while permitting Ientry of the fluid from said nozzle, the closing means permitting flow of the fluid into said element in a plurality of positions of the adjustment.

2. Means for conducting anti-icing fluid onto a variable pitch propeller blade during pitch adjustment thereof, said means comprising a pocketed feeding element adapted to be mounted upon the blade, said element having an elongated opening therein for receiving a fluid-delivery nozzle, and means substantially closing said opening against loss of fluid by splashing while permitting entry of the fluid from said nozzle throughout a range of pitch adjustment of the blade.

3. Means for conducting anti-icing fluid onto a variable pitch propeller blade during pitch adjustment thereof, said means comprising a pocketed feeding element adapted to be mounted upon the blade, said element having a slot therein for receiving a fluid-delivery nozzle, one of the margins of said slot being flexible and contiguous with the other margin in substantially closing relation with such other margin and in sliding and conforming relation with said nozzle throughout a range of pitch adjustment of the blade.

4. Means for conducting anti-icing fluid onto a variable pitch propeller blade during pitch adjustment thereof, said means comprising a pocketed feeding element adapted to be mounted upon the blade, said element having a slot therein for receiving a fluid-delivery nozzle, one of the margills of said slot being resilient and contiguous with the other margin in substantially closing relation with such other margin and in sliding and conforming relation with said nozzle throughout a range of pitch adjustment of the blade.

5. Means for conducting anti-icing fluid onto a propeller blade, said means comprising a pocketed feeding element adapted to be mounted upon a. surface of the blade, said element having an opening therein for receiving a fluid-delivery nozzle, one of the margins of said opening being flexible so as to bend about said nozzle and substantially close the opening upon conformance of said feeding element to said surface, whereby loss of fluid by splashing is resisted while flow of fluid from the nozzle into the element is permitted.

6. Means for conducting anti-icing fluid onto a variable pitch propeller blade during pitch adjustment thereof, said means comprising a Pocketed feeding element adapted to be mounted upon a surface of the blade, said element having a slot therein for receiving a fluid-delivery nozzle, one of the margins of said slot being flexible so as to bend about said nozzle and substantially close the slot upon conformance of said feeding element to said surface, whereby loss of fluid by splashing is resisted during entry of fluid from said nozzle throughout a range of pitch adjustment of the blade.

7. Means for conducting anti-icing fluid onto a'variable pitch propeller blade during pitch adjustment thereof, said means comprising a pocketed feeding element adapted to be mounted upon a curved surface of the blade, said element having a slot therein for receiving a fluid-delivery nozzle, one of the margins of said slot being flexible so as to bend about said nozzle in sliding relation therewith and substantially close the slot lupon conformance of said feeding element to said curved surface, whereby loss of fluid by splashing is resisted during entry of lluid from said nozzle throughout a range of pitch adjustment of the blade.

8. Protective apparatus for preventing accumulation of ice upon the surface of a propeller having a hub and blades, said apparatus comprising feeding means adapted to be lmounted upon a blade in the region of the blade-root for receiving an anti-icing fluid, said means including a pocket for the fluid having a mouth, means for delivering fluid to said pocket, and means normally closing the mouth of said pocket and adapted to be displaced with relation to the delivering means while permitting flow of fluid into the pocket and maintaining the closing relation.

9. Protective apparatus for preventing accumouth and adapted to be displaced with relation to said nozzle while permitting flow of fluid into the pocket from said nozzle and maintaining the closing relation throughout a range of pitch ad- Justment of the blade.

' 10. Protective apparatus for preventing accumulation of ice upon the surface of a propeller having variable pitch blades, said apparatus comprising a fluid-delivery nozzle, and feeding means adapted to be mounted upon a blade in the region of the blade-root for receiving an anti-icing fluid, said means including a pocket forl the fluid having an elongated opening facing toward the axis of the propeller for receiving said nozzle, said opening having a resilient margin normally closing said opening and adapted tov be displaced with relation to said nozzle while permitting flow of uid into the pocket from the nozzle and maintaining the closing relation throughout a, range oi' pitch adjustment of the blade.

11. A fluid-feeding structure comprising a base element adapted to be mounted upon a body rotating about an axis, and an elongated hollow element superimposed upon said base element for receiving a fluid, said h ow element having a slot for a fluid-delivery nozzle, one of the margins of said slot being flexible and normally closing said slot against loss of fluid by splashing and adapted to be displaced along the slot inv a sliding manner with relation to said nozzle by virtue of the flexibility of the margin while permitting flow of fluid into said hollow element from said nozzle.

12. A fluid-feeding structure comprising an elongated base element of rubber-like material adapted to be mounted upon a body rotating about an axis, and an elongated hollow element of rubber-like material integral with and positioned diagonally upon said base element for receiving a fluid, said hollow element having a slot adapted to be faced toward said axis for receiving a fluiddelivery nozzle, yone of the margins of said slot being resilient and normally closing the slot against loss of fluid by splashing and adapted to be displaced in sliding relation with said nozzle while permitting flow of fluid into said hollow element from said nozzle.

13. A structure as dened in claim 12 in which said base element is adapted to be curved about said body and the resilient margin of said hollow element is disposed outwardly of said base element so as to be flexed to the closing position as a result of the curving of the structure upon said body.

14. Liquid-feeding means for the surface of a propeller blade, said means comprising a flexible body of rubber-like material adapted to be conformed to the curved surface of the blade, said body including an attaching base and a liquidreceiving pocket element integral with said base having an elongated opening for receiving a feeding nozzle in adjustable relation along the opening.

15. Liquid-feeding means as dened in claim 14 in which said pocket element comprises a flexible lip overhanging said opening and adapted substantially to close the same upon conformance of said body to the curved surface of the blade.

16. Fluid-conducting means comprising a bendable structure of channel shape providing a fluidconducting pocket between the arms of the channel, an arm of said structure having at the open side thereof a flexible margin movable toward the other arm upon bending the structure in the lateral direction of said arms, and means at a position spaced from said open side for conducting uid from said pocket.

17. Fluid-feeding apparatus for a body including a curved surface rotatable about an axis, said apparatus comprising a. bendable structure of channel shape providing a fluid-receiving pocket between the arms of the channel and accommodating a fluid-delivery nozzle between said arms at the open side thereof, an arm of said-structure having at said open side a flexible margin movable toward the other arm and in sliding relation with said nozzle uponbending said structure in the lateral direction of said arm to conform to said curved surface. y i

JOHN O. ANTONSON. 

